The Paranormals
by Trish Dewitt Bakter
Summary: There are new main characters and it is a new city. But it is still the same setting.
1. Introduction chapter 1

**The Paranormals Introduction**

When I was younger I'd always wondered why the psychics were considered criminal. I mean they were different but why couldn't they just not use their powers and live in peace with us averages? That was before I went to school.

In school they told us what happened in history class, How the psychics loved power and used their abilities to try to take over the world, turning anyone who wanted to be one of them into a paranormal and killing anyone who refused. I remember my first grade teacher, Miss Labardi, telling us how paranormals were affected with a disease and that the government wanted us to take a test to make sure we didn't have it. And what a test that was!

Our whole class had to take a field trip to the hospital to make sure we didn't have any psychic abilities. At the hospital, the class waited in line outside a white door in the hallway. Only a few students got to sit in the light green chairs because of their superior running skills. When I thought it would be my turn to go in because every student was called alphabetically, I waited for the apathetic nurse to call me by my last name "Mason" just like she has done the all the other kids. The nurse looked at me and then turned back to the clipboard, "McLoughan?" she called which was the last name of the boy who came after me. I was confused as to why I was skipped but I was too shy to ask.

Soon every student that's last name as behind me had gone, I was starting to question if they forgot about me when I heard "Mason?" after the boy with the last "Z" last name was called, when i got up to leave the waiting room.

I followed the nurse into the room where a cheery, looking doctor as sitting at a desk. "Why hello there! My name is Dr. Harowitz and I'm here to make sure you don't have the disease Phychivitus which is a disease spread by Paranormal people. Before we start do you have any questions?" He said with a smile almost like an adoring grandpa. I shook my head quickly still shy of speaking to the doctor at all. He turned toward the nurse "I think I can take this last one Jude, you go take you lunch break, you look like you could really use it"

"Why, thank you Doctor, I really appreciate it" she smiled back to him which shocked me because this was first time I had seen her happy all day.

"Well Rachael, Let's get started", he said hands stuffed with a group of unorganized papers, gesturing with his head toward the back of the room.

The next thing I remember was laying down in a large glass tank waiting for the procedure when all of a sudden a white gas erupted in it. Miss Labardi told us that it was a standard part of the test and that if the gas turned red we were an average but if the gas turned blue we were a paranormal. I calmed down and let the mist swirl around me, it was almost better to inhale than actual oxygen.

The only thing I can remember from then on was how I saw the the doctor run out of the room through the mist screaming about some psychics were attacking the building. According to my history textbook thought that hadn't happened in hundreds of years. I was left alone with the whitish-bluish mist surrounding me and my mind becoming dazed and dreamlike.

It all stopped then. Someone had slammed open the door making me wakeup from my dreamland. I looked up and pushed my head against the edge of the glass tank through the mist to see who had entered the room but sat up frozen with fear.

A gruff looking man stood in the doorway with tattered clothes, dark brown hair and a beard stubble on his chin. I had never seen him in my life, but I had a feeling he as a paranormal. The one thing I remember most about him was how he stood there and stared at the machine's mist turning blue almost in joy. He immediately ran over, almost tripping over his own two feet, trying to shut it off. Then he grabbed the paperwork the doctor set aside and immediately scribbling something down quickly.

I must've fainted because when I tried my hardest to remember what happened from then on I couldn't no matter how hard I tried. All I could recall from that point on was getting my test results back saying I was an average. Every kid in my class started to celebrate about their results, I joined in with them but I knew I didn't belong with them. But I soon didn't trust my memory and convinced myself that the blue I had seen was a mistake and the machine was turned off by the doctor, but deep down I knew I was lying to myself.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Paranormals Chapter 1**

_12 years later_

I stared at the orange-red ball of fire rising over the land. It's long waves expanding out like arms for miles over the sky. Melting away the cold and replacing it with the warmth of the world. I did this everyday, staring at the sky wondering how humans could have found a way to destroy everything around them but still preserve this beautiful image.

More rays of sun were slowly rising in the distance, adding yellow to the stream of colours. It was an amazing work of art that no matter how talented the artist, they could never capture the whole thing perfectly.

I sat on the ground of the field, admiring the view and wishing I could stay here forever. But part of me kept saying I couldn't and I knew I must go back now before I get trapped by the sky's waves of beauty. I stood up while looking over the grassy hills at the rays closest to the sun. I said goodbye inwardly and turned back toward the city.

I walked on for a while until I saw the town up ahead. When I got a good view of the surrounding wall and the gate I stopped short. There were two police officers

patrolling on the borderline with their hovercars. Watching them go back and forth exactly parallel started to give me a headache. Even though I knew I was to hard to see from their eyerange I ducked behind a bush and started tried to think of a way to get past them.

The only reason I couldn't waltz right through is because no one was allowed to leave or re-enter the city to make sure they wouldn't allow any paranormals in if they ever had to distinguish between an average and a psychic.

Think Rachael Think. Maybe if I tried the connection thing again...I picked an officer to stare at. They both looked similar, pale skinned, burly with brown hair, wearing blue police officer outfits .The only difference was that one was wearing a hat( probably because of high rank) while the other one wasn't.I focused on the one without a hat.

I scanned his mind. I had never done this from a distance of fifty feet, usually whenever I did anything like this my parents would scream and tell me never to do it again, but then again they also told me never to leave the city as well.

To be truthful I wasn't entirely sure I was picking up the right information at first. All I saw were memories of his family and past achievements, like how he saved the school's wimpy basketball team by practicing everyday to become the best player on the team. I scrunched my face up even harder trying to gain more control so I could find another entrance to get back into the city.

Then I got it. I looked through his brown eyes and saw his name was Tom Larvo, he saw nothing but the empty land in front of him, patrolling it in an endless circle not even daydreaming. I searched through his mind for another entrance, the only other one was on he exact opposite side of this gate on the far back wall. It would take at least a day to travel around the city's outskirts in order to reach it. Well...it was worth a try.

I then tried to lessen the connection slowly, because If I did it too quickly I got a major headache. But instead of taking less control of Tom I started to gain more control until I was him and me, Rachael at the same time! I was looking through his brown eyes and my green ones simultaneously.

I felt his hand run through his hair and then move to his collarbone. Touching his tattoo symbolizing his loyalty to the government. We both felt his pain and misery on why he had ever taken this job.

I wanted to be a teacher, he thought. But when dad got sick I had no other choice. Teaching didn't pay enough for his medical bills along with my rent. I can still remember kids calling me "Mr. Larvo" instead of "Sergent Larvo" like they do now.

I stopped. I could still feel his longing to write with chalk on a blackboard and seeing a light in a child's eyes when they are fascinated.

This isn't helping me get past them at all! I thought. Last week they used a security camera(which I knocked down) to guard the entrance and instead of just getting another one they call in military officers! Great! The strange thing about Woodson is that they use security only during the day and not at night. That's how I snuck out to see the sun rise in the first place. Thankfully Alma was a heavy sleeper or else I never would've escaped without my parents knowing.

The sound of thunder behind me stopped my thoughts. I turned around and looked up to see a gray storm cloud and felt a drizzle of rain. That gave me an idea.

I concentrated on the other officer with the hat this time and completely took over his mind and body unlike I did with Tom. I forced him to jerk his head up with riding the hovercar. I pretended we saw a light flash and that he was hit by it. Hit by imaginary lightning that he thought was real.

His mouth opened wide because of the shock and he fell out of his hovercar paralyzed. Tom jumped down from the hovercar and knelled down next to the other officer.

Now was my chance. I ran toward the gate as fast as I could. I still had control of the officer and me at the same time to make sure he still was "struck by lightning".

My control of the other officer weakened as I used more of my strength to run. He was gaining energy to be able to speak now.

I was getting closer and closer. I felt the wind rushing through my hair and let my legs carry me even closer.

Tom saw me now, I was only twenty feet away. He quickly touched the side of his neck to take his pulse to see that he was alive. I was only ten feet from the entrance now. Tom reached for his gun in his back pocket but held it uncertainly aiming toward me.

I released my bond on the other officer and felt him regain consciousness. Being so close to Tom now barely took any effort to take control of him especially because I had done it before.

I was still running while I had to take over Tom. I held the trigger in my hand ad aimed it toward the ground as the small part of Tom that I had not completely taken over fired it. I watched me run by into gate.

The mind link between Tom and I weakened but did not completely diminish. I was running through the passageway of the town almost seeing the friendly grass and shrubs once again.

I focused back to Tom Larvo, "Are you okay Eddie?" he said to the other officer who was almost fully alert after being struck by imaginary lightning.

"I think so...What happened?" he said wearily.

"We were patrolling and you just...just fell to the ground and passed out. i jumped down to help you but then...this girl just came at us. I remembered our policy of shooting anyone who tries to enter but I guess part of me couldn't shoot a kid, so I let her pass."

Tom looked at Eddie who's mood shifted from tranquil to turbulent in only a matter of seconds. Eyes bulging, teeth snarled, breathing deeply, Eddie said slowly

"You let someone pass through?"

"But sir she looked like she was only a teenager!" Tom alleged

"I WOULDN'T CARE IF SHE LOOKED FIVE! Now tell me what did she look like so we can track her down" Eddie commanded

Tom thought about telling Eddie. How could I do that to just a child. They'd kill baby if it crawled through here, Tom thought.

"I...don't remember" Tom said swiftly avoiding Eddie's gaze

"Do you have any idea any idea how much trouble we are going to get in for letting a Paranormal get through"

"A parawhat?"Tom said

I wanted to hear more but the connection faded away until it was as if they were whispering. I would've gone back to find out what a Paranormal was but I knew that I had to get home to pretend I was asleep the entire time


	3. Chapter 3

**The Paranormals Chapter 2**

Running so fast through the city, not able to breathe, barely able to think. Near the suburbs now, almost home, avoiding the streets because the streetlights might make someone notice or recognize me. Slowing down, completely out of breath now but my house is in sight. Legs weak, walking helps but my feet are beating almost like a heart.

Even though my house was by the gate surrounding the town it was still covered for a mile in by trees and shrubs. I walked even slower as I got a couple of yards away from my house. It was dimly lit but its white paneling and tan roof were still visible. The sunrise hadn't hit the town yet.

I climbed the drainage pipe on the side of my house, thankfully I had done it before because it was slightly slippery from the drizzle of rain that had passed. While getting one foot onto the roof of the patio which was top of the first floor, I slipped on its rainy surface and started dangling from the drainage pipe. I was dangling on the pipe on the edge of the roof, my hair falling onto my face, unable to move it. I swung my weight to both sides until I could finally get one foot firmly on the roof. I almost fell onto it and stood up carefully, I gingerly walked over to the second floor window. I opened it carefully still afraid that any sound would give me away even thought I knew Alma could sleep through a hurricane.

I put one leg through the window and ducked my head low to get under the window, my head was almost completely inside when I heard Alma stir in her sleep, she turned over on her bed with a wave of light, blonde hair covering her face. I sighed with relief and focused on getting my other leg inside. I walked slowly to my bed exhausted and preparing to pretend I was asleep the entire time.


	4. Chapter 4

** The Paranormals Chapter 3**

"Rise and shine little Sis!" Alma sang perkily, opening the previously closed window, letting in all the sun and blinding my eyes.

I turned over on my bed to the other side and shifted my pillow over my head. I could never understand how she could be so bubbly in the morning while I was the complete opposite.

Of course, Alma wasn't the opposite of me only in morning attitudes. In fact if you looked at both of us side by side you wouldn't even think we were sisters.

Alma had wavy, flowing blonde hair, green eyes, and a lively personality that made her extremely popular when she was in high school.

She was the girl respected and admired by all her peers. The one that every guy would give his left arm to go out with. She was also the star student in the class that teachers and our parents praised after getting countless awards from the government and even a job there.

Then I come along with pin-straight, boring brown hair, freaky silver eyes, and the reputation of a social outcast; exiled to a small group of others like me because we weren't "cool enough". The highest grade I'd ever gotten was a B+ not because I was stupid, but because I saw no point in following Alma's footsteps like everyone wanted me to.

"Come on Rach, we go through this everyday. Besides you only have two weeks left of senior year and of getting up like this. When you _get a job_ you can sleep later if you get good hours." She said this in her usual bright, cheery voice that shone out like the sunlight outside but I detected the slight unevenness with the last sentence.

"So anyway, do you have any occupation ideas at all?" she pressed.

Ughh… I wish she'd stop asking me that, she's been doing it for weeks on end.

In Woodside after high school you were supposed to immediately get a job. After graduation, students would bustle the streets looking for employment like they only had two weeks to live.

Because of the surge in job aspiration, very few people found satisfying jobs immediately. The rest were busy typing new resumes and going to continuous job interviews until an appeasing one was found.

"You're already late, I'll drive you in the hovercar to school" she said while putting on her denim jacket and grabbing her golden car keys.


	5. Chapter 5

The Paranormals Chapter Four

I put my index finger to the locker's DNA scanner. It opened as it flashed a green light on my finger. The government said that the "identification locks" were installed to reduce stress from kids with schoolwork. Alma was the main secretary for Governor Natdez and made me swear not to tell anyone why our town loves to install new technology.

She said that it was because they were trying to avoid everything that had to do with the past, one hundred years ago to be specific, when the war started between every world nation and the psychics, who used their advanced telekinesis to warp every human's mind into a blood-thirsty, killing savage. According to Governor Nadtez the more we clear our minds and block out un wanted energy and stress, the easier it is to avoid psychic mind contact.

Alma would come home from work ranting how there was one problem with that though, there was no solid proof that that would defend us against any paranormal energy. In fact he was basing it all on theory, and that's what scared his advisors, all sworn to secrecy. But it didn't scare them for long after they got their paycheck. Besides, according to what they were told they last attack was twelve years ago and it wasn't even a real attack; Some villagers from another town that looked similar to psychics visited the hospital amiably and were mistaken for paranormals while all they really wanted was medical supplies. At least that's what the papers told them…but weren't they were also the people that owned the papers as well?

I was on the ground in front of my locker, gathering most of my books when I saw him. His jet-black hair darkening his face with shadows, making him seem more mysterious. I could still see those gorgeous hazel eyes through the darkness of the looming locker above him. He was concentrating on his combination while I hid behind my locker door observing him.

When he opened his locker he looked over to me and caught me observing him. I awkwardly smiled and looked down flustered, pretending to continue gathering my books. I could never make the connection when my emotions got in the way. I stole a quick glance at him. Dan seemed to still be watching me from before and now had a blithesome smile on his face.

I smiled back nervously, afraid of making a weird face or wrong impression if I smiled the wrong way. Then the bell for homeroom rang.

I quickly shoved and removed books into and out of my locker. I ran to the edge of the locker room to see if I could beat the mob of students that were always slowly filing through the two doors, unfortunately, I didn't.

"Like, I really want that portable phone but I don't know if my mom would let me get it, its soooo… pricey" said a girl talking to her friend in front of me. I always made sure my mind was shut off from reading whenever I was in a large crowd like this or near idiots like this. I was used to their pointless conversations, their constant babble about useless, material things that became vital needs to them. I always preferred to get away from all this technology, out in the forest. Its serenity was the only thing that kept me sane.

"Stupid huh?" whispered a male voice in my ear. I jerked back, surprised someone had been that close to me and without me even realizing.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I could just tell by your expression that you were thinking the same thing I was," said Dan, his face reddening

"Oh its ok", I said while slowing my pulse, "but you're right, They're all the same, and even if they think they're different they're not, they all focus on the same petty objects and do the same petty things, they even look the same sometimes." I said audaciously. He stared at the ground for a minute, crossing his eyebrows in concentration. I inwardly condemned myself for giving such a brassy response.

"You're completely right!" he said, his eyes opened wide, his mouth gaped.

"I would always used to try to think positively, I used to try to find something unique in everyone. I can't find it anymore. Everything they say and do, it's all repeated things about technology and being 'cool" he said quickly, but like he really meant it, and all the thoughts he'd been longing to say had been pouring out at once. He was closer to me now, his hazel eyes shining, waiting for a response. When I had given him none he continued speaking

"Tell me, why aren't you like them?" he said.

His mind gave no indication to why he had suddenly come up to me and with this, it was completely blank except for the picture of my confused face, it seemed like he really wanted to see.

"I don't even know," I said truthfully. "How do you know I'm not like everyone else though, how would you even know I don't run around wanting the latest phone or something?"

"Because if you were you'd be having the same conversation as they would" he gestured to the girls in front of us, then turned to me with a smug expression as if he had just said checkmate to a lengthened chess game.

"Well…I…I.."I said fumbling for words. I couldn't reach his mind at a time when mine could barely compute.

"Save it, I already know," he said coming even closer to me, looking into the souls of my eyes.

How could he have found out? I had kept this secret for twelve years and no one has even suspected that anything was amiss.

"Don't worry, You're secret safe. If you can even call it that," he snorted softly "I won't tell the world that you're individualistic" he said with an amused smile on his face.

I raised my eyebrows. Wow he was nowhere near close. Thankfully he seemed to think that being…unique was something I seemed to hide. It was but not in the way that he meant it.

"Hey, I know this is sort of abrupt" he said lifting his arm and scratching the back of his head with a nervous expression

"Do you want to go out sometime?"

I blushed.


	6. Chapter 6

The Paranormals Chapter 5

"Whoa! Look at that one!" Dan said as he pointed to a meteor blazing across the sky. Its huge burst of light was so sudden that if I blinked I would've missed it. The usually peaceful sky became bombarded with large flashing and I watched the meteor shower in fascination, with our mouths agape in awe, sitting on the roof of my house. Another meteor shot by, when Dan turned to me and watched me continue to stare at the sky.

I turned away from the sky and looked to him to find him staring at my hollow of my neck. He looked amazing in the moonlight, his dark hair reflecting the moon and his flawless skin shining in a white light. He gently took the heart necklace I had on in his hand and stared at it, mesmerized by it.

"This looks pretty against your fair skin tone." he muttered almost into my neck, leaning over to see it.

He continued to observe its shiny gleam against my skin. His gaze shifted onto my parted lips. He let go of the necklace and slowly took my face in his hand, kissing me hesitantly, as if he was afraid I would push him away. I kissed him back forcefully, to let him know I felt the same as he did.

When we were out of breath we stopped and I laid my head on his deeply breathing chest as he put his arm around me.

"This is our three week anniversary, isn't it?" I asked him looking up slightly to make eye contact. He seemed to be calculating.

"It is, isn't it? Sorry I didn't keep track, Graduation has been on my mind for a while."

"What are you worried about?" I asked "Even after we Graduate you can still keep in contact with all your friends, it's a small town anyway."

"That's not it", he said with a heavy sign that pushed my head up and down on his chest. " What if things don't work out because we won't see each other as often, I mean we'll be at different jobs…" he stopped short, "By the way, Have you gotten a job yet?" he asked curiously.

"Ugh you're just like my parents and my sister" I said "I don't have a job yet ok? I just didn't see anything I wanted to do here anyway" I said defensively.

"Alright just checking" he said running his fingers through my hair. "You'll get one don't worry, I bet they're out looking for an smart, beautiful girl like you right now and are wondering why they can't find one." He said now stroking my cheek. "The only thing I'm nervous about is the ceremony tomorrow, but then we have the dance right after so I won't be worried." he said with a jovial smile on his face. "And after the dance you'll finally meet my parents. They've been dying to meet you, they already think you're amazing and they haven't even met you yet!"

"Well my parents are very fond of you already and this was your first time meeting them, speaking of which, if we want to stay on their good side we should probably head in to get some sleep for tomorrow" I said while getting up to climb through my second story window.

After I climbed through I helped Dan in slowly because he was not used to climbing on and off a roof via window. He grabbed his wallet and keys off my dresser then kissed me goodbye.

"Bye Mrs. Mason!" he said cheerily as my mom passed by.

"Bye Daniel" she said in her casual friendly tone.

I followed him down the stairs and shut the door behind him after we said goodbye. I let myself gently fall back onto the closed door and sighed thinking about my amazing boyfriend.

"Rachael? Can you come in for a minute?" My mother said from the dining room. "Your father and I need to talk to you about something."

I knew, even without reading their minds (because I wasn't allowed) that they were going to question me on my lack of job attainment.


	7. Chapter 7

The Paranormals Chapter 6

"Sit down Rachael", said my father before gesturing to the chair directly across from theirs.

I sat down timidly, telling from their faces that this was not going to be a pleasant "heart to heart" discussion. My parents had a stern expression on, with serious eyes that were almost popping out of their sockets. Their slightly sagging faces were almost tightened by anger. My father fist was so constricted that his knuckles were starting to turn white while the rest of his hand was turning red from loss of circulation. His normally pale, blonde face was almost scarlet from the boiling rage that he was trying to suppress.

"So, without doing that…thing with your mind, can you guess why your mother and I called you in here?" asked my father, breathing deeply, trying to relax himself.

"Is it because you're wondering why I haven't found a job?" I asked even though I was pretty sure it was a rhetorical question.

" I TOLD YOU NOT TO USE YOUR MIND POWERS!" my father screamed standing up in his chair. My mother, who seemed a lot more relaxed, calmed him down and took his arm to help him back into his seat. He stared at the table almost in pensive thought for a while.

"Rachael, dear I know you can control your…. tendencies. Please, At least for us.", said my mother.

" But mom honestly, you know I never use my mind thing. That was just a guess, everyone does that." I said defensively.

"Aw Rachael, Rachael, Rachael" she said with her brown curls bobbing as she slowly shook her head. "Maybe you did it unintentionally, if that ever happens then you have to stop yourself from saying anything that normal people would call…suspicious."

"I still don't understand why Alma isn't allowed to know about this. They're sisters aren't they?" My father muttered. My mother looked like she was about to say something but she bit her tongue.

"Alma should have a clue about what's going on", Dad said looking up at me.

"Your right John, Tell the daughter that works for the government, the exact place that would kill Rachael if they discovered. Yes, tell Alma all about her sister's problem even though I'm sure she's already stressed out enough from her job and this sudden discovery that defies every aspect of what she works and believes in would _definitely_ make her feel all warm and fuzzy inside." My mother said sarcastically.

My father and I raised our eyebrows and exchanged the same startled glance. I had never heard my mother give such a powerful speech against something before.

"Well, getting back to the issue. Rachael, tomorrow morning you're going to Dr. Harowitz's office for a last minute medical checkup. They require that for your Graduation. That means no psychic activities of any kind. Do you understand me?" my mom said firmly.

"Yes, I do" I said

"Good" my mother said shifting to the back of her seat "if you don't do any of your little 'mind magic tricks' then I'm sure you can pass the Paranormal examination. And maybe if you behave well enough the Doctor will offer you a job there."

"Alright" I said biting my lip.

"You may go now Rachael." said my father, recovering from his previous surprise.

When I walked out of the room I heard him say lowly to my mother, " How could we have ever gotten a psychic in our family, I mean we're all averages you, your parents and my side of the family. They're all normal. How did this _trait_ ever slip into the gene pool, is it a mutation?" my father said.

"I don't know dear, I just don't know." said mother, but something in her tone seemed off.


	8. Chapter 8

The Paranormals Chapter 7

"I HATE MY LIFE" I declared to Anastasia. "My parents are getting concerned over the smallest things lately. This morning my mom yelled at me for forgetting my house key, even though we have a spare hidden in a fake rock somewhere. And after school they're making me go to the doctor's!"

"Doesn't the school require you go before you graduate?" Anastasia asked.

"It does? I didn't know that" I said confused

"Yea I think its mandatory because they're afraid a paranormal might sneak in the town or something." She said. I watched the color drain from my face in her mind.

"Are you okay?" she asked

"Oh yea, its just that I don't feel like waiting in a stuffy doctor's office after school" I said, smiling nonchalantly. I didn't see what she thought but I could tell by her emotions that she was disregarding it..

I was good at brushing away the Paranormal stuff, I had done it for years. My parents told me that no one, not even my best friends could ever know. When I was seven, I had told a girl in my class Katie that the machine's gas turned blue and the doctor wrote it down wrong. She told the entire class and the teacher even after I made her swear not to. The teacher, Mrs. Bonvento, made me bring in my test results just to check if the rumor was true, then viciously scolded me for lying about such a serious manner.

Anastasia was usually the only person who understood me. And the bad thing was the more she got closer to me, the more I wanted to tell her. But just incase anything happened, I wanted to make sure they never linked her to it. Or Dan or anyone else for the matter.

While waiting for the bell for first period to ring I sat there admiring Anastasia's hair. I was a soft, deep brown but had lighter brown highlights mixed into it. Her light brown eyes stared at my inquisitively as I did this. "I love your hair" I said "I wish my hair was like that"

"You shouldn't it's impossible to comb" but I could see she was modestly trying to resist the pleasure of my compliment. Her tan skin and gorgeous hair made her completely irresistible to all the guys, but she had no interest in them anyway, she was into older college guys.

The bell for homeroom rang and everyone got up from their seats to get to class. The day rushed by. Before I could even compute what was happening, I was sitting in the cafeteria chatting with Dan's friends since we shifted each day between his friend's and my friend's tables.

"Rachael, What's been going one with you?" his friend Sara asked. "You've been distant from everyone else all day. You even forgot to get your own food!"

"Oh sorry I'm just tired" I lied. That would explain why my stomach was growling. I got up and went to the serving area which was empty because everyone else had already gotten their lunch. I got an apple and a water bottle and went to the cashier to pay.

I have to stop reading minds, I thought before I inattentively inspected the cashier's mind. I heard her concerns about her son, he had just gotten into drugs and she was unsure o how to deal with it. I had to push it all out of my mind. It was hard, it was almost like living through life without sound. I had suddenly become a deaf in my own everyday life. "Here's your change" the elderly cashier said handing me back a few coins.

"Hey kid, are you ok?" she said noticing my expression

"Uh yea, I'm fine" I said rushing away.

"Well look who it is" said Dan. I unconsciously started looking through his eyes and saw him look me up and down. I was not even aware until I saw myself. I quickly sat down and tried to shun out his mind.

"Ahhh…damn this is harder than I thought" I said outloud.

The entire lunchtable stared at me as if I had suddenly broken out into showtoons. I realized how strange I looked to as the girl across from me lent me her eyes and showed me how wide-eyed and panicked I looked with a lunch tray of only an apple and water bottle balancing on one arm.

"Oh umm I meant that apple is really…tough" I said while picking up the fruit. That look of miscomprehension slowly faded from each of their faces but did not completely fade from their expressions. Even as they discussed other topics I saw them take quick, nervous glances at me.

A look of concentration was glued to my face through the entire conversation. I was staring at the table trying not to freak anyone out with my focused expression. They were only talking about gossip which I overheard not from their mouths speaking near me, but from their minds. Of course I heard the "Dan's girlfriend is a freak", "She is so weird" parts but I ignored them because I was so used being called names from all the previous years of my life.

I was only concerned about Dan's reaction. Him going out with me jeopardized his popularity and although he looked calm and unphased I was always able to tell from his mind when I was with him that it bothered him.

His arm was around my shoulders. How long had it been there? He was talking to Mikey across from him about the school basketball game.

That's it I can't take this anymore. I have to behave normal for Dan and I need to stop this mind shit for mom.

Shut up. I said o the voices that were filling my head of others around me. More voices began crowding in, Shut up, I thought louder. The voices didn't stop. The entire cafeteria's vocal and mental conversations wee in my head. "SHUT UP!" I screamed outloud. The vocal conversations of the cafeteria grew silent but the mental ones did not cease. My head was pounding in pain. I fell out of the cafeteria seat and scrunched up in a ball in pain knotting my fingers through my hair.

"RACHAEL!" I heard Dan cry from a distance. It was no use I was in too much pain, my ears hurt even though I wasn't even using them and my eyes stared watering from all the screaming in my head.

I felt my body move. The voices were slowly growing softer until I hadn't even heard them anymore. I opened my eyes to see Dan carrying me through the school halls. I heard nothing, not his mind, not even the minds of people who passed by. The sudden silence that had filled my head was deafening.

"Dan where are we going' I said weakly. He slightly bounced me up from his arm so he could support me more tightly as he carried me through the halls.

"To the nurse's office" he said, looking straight ahead, not bothering to look down at me.

"Do you have any idea what happened back there?" he asked, now looking down, making eye contact, one eyebrow raised.

"No idea" I said truthfully, I was thankful for the whole experience mainly because in a way, I had accomplished the task of staying out of other people's heads.

When the nurse dismissed us and saw nothing wrong. The halls were bare since she had made us late for our classes. Dan walked quietly next to me as we headed to out separate lessons which were near each other. This time I actually wished I could know what he was thinking but I didn't try to see.

"Please, Please, Please, Don't ever do that again" he said, "It got my friends…a little creeped out if you know what I mean". He honestly cared more about his friend's opinions than my safety?

"uhh yea sure" I said robotically.

"And you have no idea what happened at all, was it a mental breakdown or something?" he asked curiously, his one eyebrow slightly arched and revealing his clear light eyes to the sunlight.

"I have no idea" I said, as I walked into my class and let him go onto his nearby.


	9. Chapter 9

The Paranormals Chapter 8

"Mom how long is this going to take?" I asked her as we drove to the doctor's office.

"About a half hour" she replied, not looking away from the road.

I stared out the window as the land next to me speed by. I thought back to when Dan carried me out of the lunchroom, about how sweet that was but then how disturbed I was by the way he spoke to me while walking to class. He almost seemed like he was afraid, but his typical nonchalant, easygoing attitude made it hard to read his emotions. That's why mind reading came in handy with our relationship. I'd give anything, just to know what he was thinking then at that moment.

The connection was slowly returning but very weakly. I saw flashes of the road from my mother's perspective but I couldn't hear what she was saying in her mind.

I remember when I was little I used to try to play tricks on my parents by using mind reading. They always scolded me and my father beat me once when I had asked him why he was always thinking of that pretty lady he worked with.

The car stopped as I was recalling that memory. I got out of the car, still feeling dazed from daydreaming. In the waiting room I fantasized about marrying Dan. I knew that it wouldn't happen soon but I was hoping that maybe a year from now maybe it could come true. He'd tell me how he'd always wanted me throughout high school but was always afraid I'd reject him, and after an evening of dancing at a romantic restaurant he'd pull me aside, get on on knee and….

"Mason?" said a male nurse stopping my dream cloud.

I got up to meet the Asian nurse in a light purple doctor's uniform. He gave me a friendly smile and escorted me to a room at the end of a long hallway. He took my pulse, blood pressure and did all the standard procedures that I expected.

"You seem in good shape, we just need to take the paranormal test and then we can send you home" he said, then he noticed my look of fear I had on. "Don't worry everyone passes that test. And it they don't the machine is usually broken and we just take a sample of your DNA and test it, that's all. Not once has the result been a true positive, its just a precaution"

He lead me down the hallway again to another room. It had a large glass tank with wires all around. I remembered when I was little how my test result was positive but it was written down as negative.

"Wait, so if it turns blue, that means the machines broken?" I asked the nurse.

"Why yes, usually that's why we take a sample of your DNA to be sure it was" he replied, with a small smile.

I left out a deep breath and felt complete relief. All these years it had been in my head, I really had been an average. I didn't remember the DNA part but that didn't bother me, maybe the doctor had taken a hair while I wasn't looking.

I sat in the tank. It looked like an MRI scanner but one that could be sealed. The nurse closed the piece that I climbed inside of and I laid there for a second before the white gas erupted through the top. It looked like steam. It mixed with the regular air until it was one substance that eventually filled my nostrils. It was better than oxygen as I remembered. I looked outside and saw that the nurse had left.

I waited a few minutes surrounded by the peaceful gas until the door had opened and an elderly Doctor stepped through it. He walked over to the machine and pressed a button. A loud noise started coming from the machine and its lights had turned on. The gas began to sink to where I rested. It slowly began to change to a light blue. At first I convinced myself that it was just a different shade of white because it was so faint but soon it grew darker. When the tank had been turned off the gas had turned a navy blue.

The doctor opened the piece that was connected to a hinge and let me out.

"Not to worry dear, It happens all the time, I've never seen it turn that shade of blue but I'm sure there's a first time for everything. I'm just going to need a strand of hair to be sure. I looked to the bottom of my hair where it stopped and pulled away one of the strands that was about to fall out. I handed it to the doctor who put it in a plastic bag with my name labeled on it.

"Say, Are you in need of a job at all?" he asked with a smile that revealed some of his missing teeth. "Because we could use some help around here, we just didn't want to advertise and have a rampage of teenagers flooding the building"

"Oh yes, I do, I would be interested" I blurted out, shocked at my sudden stroke of luck.

"Good! As soon as we get these test results accurately this time I'll give your information to the head of the hospital and you'll be on board."

He handed me an index card and a pen from his desk. "I just need you to write you name, address, phone number, and emergency contact information"

I leaned on his desk and quickly started scribbling the information down. I handed the card to him when I finished. He had been watching the card as I wrote. Well Rachael, my name is Dr. Drucker and I hope to see you again in one of the hospital uniforms next time" he smiled.

"Thank you so much, I was in desperate need of a job, thank you!" I said while leaving the office.

"Anytime dear!" he said then sat down to write some information on my file. I rushed back to the waiting room to tell my mother.


	10. Chapter 10

The Paranormals Chapter 9

"What about this one?" asked my mother, her eyes opened wide, almost longing to please, holding up a light blue dress with silver ribbons on the bottom.

"Oh, that's I think I like this one better" I said holding up a lavender dress, dazzled with sparkling fabric wrapped around the waist, and an array of glitter fashioned in large amounts at the top that gradually spread apart as the sparkling glass descended toward the hem of the dress.

"That does look rather elegant", said mother with a last defeated look to the dress she was holding. Then she examined the dress I held up. She turned her attention to me "Why don't you go try it on?"

I slid the dress on easily in the changing room. It seemed to fit well. I turned to gaze into the mirror. The person staring back at me didn't resemble the same person who had originally entered the small room. The mirror showed a girl with lighter hue and a new glow in her cheeks. She was surrounded by layers of a lithe, lavender, dress, rippling out gracefully.

I stepped out of the changing room to find my mother standing nearby. She looked completely stunned.

"Why, Rachael. This looks simply stunning. Dan will definitely love you in this." She said, her eyes lighting up. "You've been doing so well with everything lately. Your mind problems have stopped, you've been making new friends in school and you even seem happier day to day. What I'm trying to say, is that I'm proud of you."

Ever since that incident at school, my mind reading had completely shut off. It was almost like having a bad cold and learning to breathe through your own mouth at first, without hearing people's thoughts. But gradually over time, I think I could live with it.

"Wow, uhh thanks mom" I said appalled, then walked back into the changing room. I carefully folded the dress up after I had completely changed and walked out of the dressing room.

'Come on let's go pay for this dress" she said beaming before I even opened the door to leave the room.

"Rachael, this does look amazing on you!" Alma exclaimed as I tried it on for her back at the house. "You're going to be the prom queen winner for sure!"

"Oh Thanks Alma, but prom queen doesn't really seem like me" I said while shrugging.

"Nonsense, All you do is get some votes and a crown, I won it when I graduated and I know you definitely can too." She replied while going through her paperwork for the office.

"You better enjoy al this while you can, because soon your going to be concerned 24/7 about your job, which you don't even have yet" she said in her matter-of-factly tone.

The horn of a hovercar started beeping outside, I stood up and glanced through the window to see Dan waiting in the driver's seat.

"Well actually Alma, when I was at the doctor's office, one of the workers offered me a job" I replied smugly as her face turned to complete shock.

"They…gave you a job…just like that?" she asked slowly .

"Yepp, and I didn't even mention it at all. Lucky break huh?" I said smoothly, trying to hide my conceit.

The horn to the car honked again. I didn't wait for Alma's reply, her face was still stunned from the news as I said goodbye to her. I exchanged farewells with my parents and posed for some pictures, before Dan finally escorted me to his car.

"You look breath taking, Rachael" he said unblinkingly, barely able to look away from where I sat on the passenger side.

"Thank you, Dan. You look really nice yourself", I said gesturing toward his suit and tie.

He smiled to himself and looked me over one more time before putting his keys in the ignition. And as we drove on he stole a few quick glances at me when he thought I wasn't looking.


	11. Chapter 11

The Paranormals Chapter 10

I couldn't believe it. The prom doors stood right before me. I could feel the excitement rushing through the air, my blood rushing, awakening my senses. The music flooded out through the night, allowing people blocks away to be able to hear it blasting.

"The last night we'll be together" I whispered, without processing the words as I said them.

"What?" Dan asked surprised, his eyebrows raised in astonishment.

"Huh? What I didn't say anything" I replied, confused and feeling hazy.

Dan studied me for a second then put his arm around my waist, dragging me inside while I tried to get rid of these sudden obscure feelings. I suddenly felt weak, my head was throbbing and my body was slowly losing feeling. Why was this suddenly happening? I had gone a full week without using my powers feeling completely fine. Why would it suddenly affect me now?

"Rachael, you ok?" Dan asked concerned on why my body had suddenly become so limp in his arms.  
"Oh, umm I'm fine." I said slowly regaining control of my arms and legs. My head still hurt a little though.

"Oh look there's Ashley and Meagan" Dan said raising his arm high, waving to them across the large ballroom.

"Hey Dan!" they both said perkily. "Hi Rachael" Meagan said uneasily, still uncomfortable around me from the cafeteria incident. Ashley was eyeing Dan with a dreamy look of pleasure. I tried to see how Dan was reacting to it when he suddenly declared,

" C'mon guys, let's get the others and party one last night!"

Ashley looked away guiltily from my gaze as she scanned the room for the rest of the group. I spotted Anastasia across the room. I walked over to her while Dan, Meagan and Ashley gathered their group of friends.

She was talking to her date, Jeremy Spinter, the school's track star. He was so average, not the type I would imagine with someone like Anastasia.

I stood there feeling invisible waiting for their conversation to end so I could say hello politely.

"Hi Anastasia" I piped up as the conversation took a pause.

"Oh hi Rachael" she said without looking away from Jeremy.

"I like your dress" I said trying to make conversation. She looked at the blue silk fabric of her dress.

"Oh yes it's nice" she said in a bored tone, still not looking away from Jeremy.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" I asked so I could see what was the matter with her, "You don't mind Jeremy, Do you?"

"Not at all" he said, "I'll go get some drinks while you two talk." He walked away nervously, probably knowing that anything that upset Anastasia was like combining fire with gasoline.

"Listen An, What's wrong? Why are you acting this way?"

"No Reason at all. Because I'm not acting any different," she said coolly.

"Ok I'm sorry I haven't gotten a chance to talk to you because I've been with Dan and his friends all this time" I said apologetically.

"Haven't been talking to me? You mean completely ignoring me?" she said, her voice rising.

"Let's not make it that extreme," I said as calmly as I could.

"Yes you have, you've been so distracted in your little 'miss popularity' world that you've forgotten about me", she said scornfully. " Some friend you are"

I was about to respond when Jeremy came back with their drinks.

"Have fun living in Perfect Ville!" she said menacingly, then turned back to Jeremy.

I stood there in front of them shocked at what had just happened. I had just lost my best friend and had no idea if I could ever get her back. I wanted to say something to her something to make it all right but I couldn't find the words. I walked away remorsefully toward Dan's group.

"Hey Rachael, Come back here!" a bunch of them said waving me over in a friendly tone which I was not used to.

I walked over and was a few feet away from them when someone grabbed me. I tried to shove them off and saw it was a police officer. A few more had come. I was paralyzed with fear. What had I done wrong? Surely this must be some sort of confusion and they meant to arrest someone else. A second one seized me as I started to break free of the grip of the one that was grabbing my arm. They crossed y arms behind my back and they pushed me toward the exit. I looked behind me looking for Dan. I searched the crowded room of shocked stares and found his group of friends with the puzzled looks on their faces I located him and saw his expression of pure humiliation. He was covering his face with his hand form embarrassment. While his friend Mikey was gripping his shoulder to see is he was alright.

"Just when she was starting to get normal" Dan said to him, hiding his face in his hands.

"I know buddy. We all make mistakes." Mikey said, trying to console him.

So that's what I was to him, a mistake.

"Come on, Move along you freak!" an officer behind yelled to me. I couldn't argue with their insult because I knew it was true. They weren't arresting me by some unfortunate mix up with another fugitive. I was being arrested because they knew I was a Paranormal.


	12. Chapter 12

The Paranormals Chapter 11

I sat there in my shackles on the cold bench as the truck hauled on. The only sound I could hear was the engine working steadily. The worst part of it all was being left alone with my thoughts consuming me.

The mind reading had stopped! The test must have had a glitch or was catching traces of the old virus. Yea, That must be it! That's what this was anyway, a disease that finally had cured itself miraculously and its residue is what set off the machine the doctor used.

Even in my own mind I knew my argument wasn't convincing. I started feeling and hearing small doses of what the drivers were thinking.

"…Got to take the kids out of….Michael's been having a bully…."

"…game is on tonight….lost 12 to one yesterday…"

I bent over, hugging my knees while burying my face in my lap. When would this torment end. I'm sick of knowing what everyone's thinking. Why can't I just be normal and live a happy, average life without a disease poisoning it all.

A few minutes passed by when the engine finally stopped. I heard the two men in front slam their doors shut simultaneously. I heard them walk around to the back of the truck and open the back door. I continued to stay where I was and didn't look up from where my face was buried.

"Ey! Parafreak get outta the car!", One shouted at me.

I sat up properly, looked at the men for a second and walked out through the back entrance of the car.

"Good freak. Do as your told here and your punishment will be less painful", the other officer said.

They then got on either side of me and grabbed my upper arm, dragging me inside while I tried to regain control of my feet to keep them from trailing through the dirt.

I looked up at the building they were dragging me into. It was an office with high empirical structures, windows full of luster, the entire building was made of a dark green glass that was harder to see through the closer you looked. This ten-story building was the governor's office, where all laws were created and approved. But more importantly, it was where Alma worked as his assistant. She was the last of all people I'd want to ever see me in chains, and now was her chance to snub how her successful life was in my face in a time when mine was in complete destruction.


End file.
